And you think you spend too much money eating out.
A good appetite story about a 27-year-old tech professional who spends about $1,000 a week eating at restaurants has sparked a social media frenzy. Reviewers criticized the restaurant for being over-budgeted, but as one also pointed out, “There’s a mix of emotions here, but jealousy is definitely one of them.”
In the story, the Washington, D.C.-based but unnamed tech professional shared that her annual salary was $225,000 and she had $400,000 in savings. In other words, she is generally considered to be in a comfortable position for her age and capable of eating out regularly.
And she often eats out. “I love to cook, but haven’t been doing much lately. Packing weekdays don’t have much time to eat, let alone cook,” she told Bon Appétit.
Her most recent meals and food and drinks ranged from $459.54 for two at a fancy Japanese restaurant (she pays for herself and her boyfriend) to $13.33 at a bakery $100 breakfast-to-go, including pistachio croissants (“my favorite”) and matcha rhubarb sparkling lemonade (“my favorite summer drink”).
Technologist’s Groceries What about the budget? Just $36 a week.
On social media, many were on hand to criticize the expensive lifestyle and eating habits of professionals. Not to mention the fact that she still lets her parents pick up her cell phone bill.
One commenter did, however, be aware that all of this spending may be just what some restaurants need to make ends meet:
While most Americans obviously don’t spend $1,000 a week in restaurants, but they still eat out regularly. A pre-pandemic survey found that 25-34 year olds were spending $95 a week on dining and takeout. The same survey noted that dining is more than just food — that is, respondents ranked socializing with friends and family as their top reason for dining at restaurants.
